Abstract
M.Ed.
According to the investigations conducted by the National Commission of Special Needs Education and Training (NCSNET) and the National Committee on Education Support Services (NCESS) in South African schools, the findings were that: Firstly, only the minority group benefited in both physical and human resources. The specialised education and support were predominantly provided on racial basis for whites only.
Secondly, the government can no more fund these schools. Thirdly, learners with disability want to be out of the cocoon. The purpose of this research was to find out how people in the education system, namely parents, educators and learners in "special" and "mainstream/developed" schools in Soweto perceive inclusion. Since is qualitative research, the researcher interviewed, observed and recorded educators (heads, deputies or HODs) and 4 parents from three different types of special schools, namely Sizwile School for deaf and dumb children, Adelaide Tambo School for the physically disabled and Philip Khushlik School for Cerebral Palsied children. She then interviewed 2 learners, one from J.C. Merkin School for quadriplegic learners and one from Dominican Convent High School. The findings of this research effort suggest that disabled learners do not want to be kept in bedrooms because they feel isolated, excluded and discriminated against. They need to be part of the community. They need a step ahead, a brighter future so that they can plough back something into the community.